I'm Already Taken
by Jennifer Hart
Summary: You might be too late.


Title: I'm Already Taken

Author: Special Agent Meg

Rating: G

Classification: General/Slight Romance (but not G/S)

Spoilers: Set immediately after Sara asks Grissom out at the end of _Play With Fire_. Specific spoilers for _Ellie _and _Alter Boys_ (slightly), along with general spoilers for anything third season. And it assumes that _Lady Heather's Box_ (other than Eddie's death) never happened.

Disclaimers: The only character I can lay claim to in this is Carrie.

Summary: "You might be too late."

* * *

"_I don't know what to do about this_." Grissom's words echoed in his mind as he watched Sara running down the hall.

They were true. He didn't know. All his life he'd been bookish and quiet. Never the kind of guy who puts himself in the position of having two dates with two different women at the same time. Grissom didn't even know what it was like to be dating two women on separate days at the same time.

He was used to keeping his life private. Grissom hadn't told anyone that he'd gone to see the police chaplain after the Jennings case – had talked with him several times since. He hadn't told anyone on the team about his upcoming surgery, or even that he was having hearing difficulties. Grissom had told Warrick that his roaches had gotten stage fright – but not that he'd only half noticed because his mind was reeling from a phone call he'd just taken. The one where he learned someone had called in a bomb threat to the shopping center his mother's art gallery was located in.

And he hadn't told anyone about the latest life-changing decision he was making, feeling that there wasn't really an appropriate time.

Well now definitely wasn't appropriate, but he didn't have much of a choice, unless he wanted to hurt Sara even more. Quickly, he shut the door behind him and ran in the direction of the parking lot.

"Sara!" Grissom caught up with her just as she was opening her car. She stopped and reluctantly turned to face him.

"Look, there's something I need to tell you. Could you come back inside? Please?" There was a long minute and then she slowly nodded.

After they were both seated in Grissom's office, the door closed behind them, Grissom took a deep breath, before asking, "Are you familiar with _The Lord Of The Rings_?"

Sara looked at him, confused. "Is that the book someone wrote about the Olympics?" she asked hesitantly.

Grissom smiled. "There's that one too, but I'm talking about the classic, by J.R.R. Tolkien."

Sara shook her head. "Then, no, I don't think so. Why?"

Grissom smiled. "I first signed it out of the library when I was eight years old. Took me three weeks to get through, but when I was done it became my favorite book of all time. Still is, actually. Well, three books. It's one story broken up into three books."

Despite everything that had happened, Sara found herself smiling. "Um, Gris – I'm sorry, but you've totally lost me."

Grissom returned her smile. "Sorry. Anyway, NewLine Cinema recently decided to make the three books into movies. The first one came out on December 19, 2001, and I was among those who lined up outside the theatre hours before the show actually started, just to make sure I got in."

Sara couldn't help but smile at the incongruous image of straitlaced, quiet Grissom lining up hours ahead of time to see any movie, let alone a fantasy movie. "Go on," she said softly.

"About five or ten minutes after I got in line, a...Ringwraith got in line behind me." A grin tugged at the corner of Grissom's face as he looked at Sara. "Black hooded figures – look kind of like the Grim Reaper, only without the staff. They're the reason you don't take someone under twelve to see the movie."

The dark-haired CSI started laughing. "You've got to be kidding me!"

Grissom shook his head, grinning openly now. "One of probably twenty people who showed up in costume that night. I couldn't resist – I started talking to her – it was a woman inside that outfit. We ended up conversing the entire time in line, and sitting together during the movie. Afterwards, I asked her for her phone number."

Grissom hesitated before continuing, "I guess you'd say I started courting her. We went and saw the next movie together as well, and this time we both went in costume – as hobbits." He shrugged apologetically. "Short little people with furry feet, love gardening and geneology. The last movie comes out this year and we'll be going together again."

"So what you're saying is, you're already taken," Sara said, an apologetic smile crossing her face.

"Yeah." Grissom nodded. "In fact, the day before the Carpenter Case, I took her out to dinner and I asked her to become my wife." He couldn't quite keep the emotion out of his voice. "And she accepted."

"You're engaged." Sara closed her eyes and shook her head. "Grissom, I'm so sorry – I had no idea."

"I know. Nobody did. I've been trying to find the right time to tell everyone – but it's not easy. I mean, I don't think anyone even knows I was seeing someone."

"I'll let you tell the rest of the team, whenever you choose to," Sara told him.

"Thank you." Grissom shrugged apologetically. "I'm sorry for my response earlier, but I really didn't know what to say. I mean – I've never been asked on a date when I was already engaged before!" They both laughed.

"No, it's all right," Sara said quickly. "I'm the one who should be sorry – I mean, I was trying to move in on another woman's turf, even though I didn't know." Her eyes twinkled. "I suppose I'm going to be on your fiancée's hit list now." Grissom chuckled. "So...what's her name?"

"Carrie." Grissom didn't even try to keep the sparkle out of his eyes this time. "She works as a figure skating choreographer. Five of the girls she did programs for this year went to nationals – three in Novice and two in Juniors."

"Wow. Look at that, you even managed to find a girl who shares your taste in classical music," Sara said with a chuckle.

Grissom shrugged. "Not quite. I can't get her to agree that _Flight of the Bumblebee_ would make a good skating program."

"Okay, now I know I'm going to like her," Sara said with a laugh. "You know, since you're an only child, I guess Catherine and I will have to fill in as your sisters after you tell everyone," Sara said with a quick grin. "Take Carrie out, tell her all the stories we know..."

"Oh, please!" Grissom held up his hand in mock horror. "Not until we've been married for at least twenty years!"

"Seriously, I'm happy for you, Grissom," Sara said sincerely.

"Thank you," he answered, grinning boyishly as he added, "Me too."


End file.
